Formed – 1964
Members – Jackie (Sigmund Esco) Jackson (b. 1951), Tito (Toriano Adaryll) Jackson (b. 1953), Jermaine (Jermaine La Jaune) Jackson (b. 1954), Marlon (Marlon David) Jackson (b. 1957), Michael (Michael Joseph) Jackson (1958 – 2009), Randy (Steven Randall) Jackson (b. 1961)
From – Gary, Indiana, United States
First Hit -1970 – ‘I Want You Back’
First Number 1 – 1970 ‘I Want You Back’
Split – 1976 – Jermaine remained with Motown when the group joined Epic Records, Randy joined the group
1984 – Michael and Marlon left the group
2012 – Marlon re-joined the Jacksons
1963 (during)
Tito Jackson used his father’s guitar without permission and broke a string. When Joe Jackson heard what his son could play on the guitar he decided that his children could form a group and fulfil his musical ambition for him.
1963 (during)
Joe Jackson formed the Jackson Brothers made up of Jackie, Tito and Jermaine Jackson. He entered them in local talent shows.
1965 (August)
Marlon Jackson joined the Jackson Brothers. They soon became known as the Jackson Five. Their manager/father Joe Jackson, implemented a strict routine of rehearsals and imposed physical punishments for mistakes.
1966 (during)
The Jackson Five won a talent competition at the Theodore Roosevelt High School in Gary. Afterwards they were booked to play in small music halls in Gary and the Chicago area.
1967 (13th August)
The Jackson Five won the talent competition held at the Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York.
1967 (November)
Joe Jackson signed a contract on behalf of the group with Steeltown Records.
1968 (31st January)
The Jackson Five’s first single ‘Big Boy’ was released. Although it was a hit locally, it failed to reach the national charts.
1968 (March)
The brothers opened for Etta James at the Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York.
1968 (July)
The group opened for Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers at the Regal Theater, Chicago.
1968 (23rd July)
The Jackson Five auditioned at Motown Records. After seeing their performance, owner Berry Gordy offered them a contract. However, Steeltown Records were reluctant to let them go.
1969 (11th March)
After negotiating their release from Steeltown Records, an exclusive seven-year contract with Motown Records was signed.
1969 (after March)
After signing with Motown Records, Joe Jackson moved the family to Los Angeles.
1969 (September)
Berry Gordy formed a team of songwriters to produce material for the Jackson Five.
1969 (6th October)
The group’s first single with Motown, ‘I Want You Back’, was released. It reached number 2 in the UK and number 1 in the US charts.
1969 (18th October)
The group performed ‘I Want You Back’ on the TV variety show ‘The Hollywood Palace’ hosted by Diana Ross.
1969 (12th December)
The group’s first album ‘Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5’ was released. It reached number 16 in the UK and number 5 in the US charts.
1969 (14th December)
The Jackson Five performed ‘I Want You Back’ on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1970 (21st February)
The Jackson Five performed their upcoming single ‘ABC’ on the show ‘American Bandstand’.
1970 (24th February)
The single ‘ABC’ was released. It reached number 8 in the UK and number 1 in the US charts.
1970 (8th May)
The album ‘ABC’ was released. It reached number 22 in the UK and number 4 in the US charts.
1970 (13th May)
The single ‘The Love You Save’ was released. It reached number 7 in the UK and number 1 in the US charts.
1970 (28th August)
The single ‘I’ll Be There’ was released. It reached number 4 in the UK and number 1 in the US charts.
1970 (8th September)
The album ‘Third Album’ was released. It reached number 4 in the US charts.
1970 (15th October)
The ‘Jackson 5 Christmas Album’ was released. Holiday albums were banned from the regular charts but it was a top seller.
1971 (during)
It had become clear that Michael was very talented and could perform without his brothers. Motown Records began producing music for Jackson to record as a solo artist. However, he remained a member of the Jackson Five.
1971 (7th January)
The single ‘Mama’s Pearl’ was released. It reached number 25 in the UK and number 2 in the US charts.
1971 (16th March)
The single ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ was released. It reached number 2 in the UK and number 9 in the US charts.
1971 (12th April)
The album ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ was released. It reached number 11 in the US charts.
1971 (May)
The Jackson family moved to a larger property in Encino, California.
1971 (June)
The single ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ was released. It reached number 20 in the US charts.
1971 (16th September)
The Jackson 5 TV special ‘Goin’ Back to Indiana’ aired.
1971 (29th September)
The album ‘Goin’ Back to Indiana’ was released. It featured music from the TV special of the same name and reached number 16 in the US charts.
1971 (23rd November)
The single ‘Sugar Daddy’ was released. It reached number 10 in the US charts.
1971 (9th December)
The album ‘Greatest Hits’ was released by the Jackson 5.
1972 (4th April)
The single ‘Little Bitty Pretty One’ was released. It reached number 13 in the US charts.
1972 (23rd May)
The album ‘Lookin’ Through the Windows’ was released. It reached number 16 in the UK and number 7 in the US charts.
1972 (2nd October)
The single ‘Corner of the Sky’ was released.
1972 (November)
‘The Jackson 5 Show’ began airing.
1973 (26th February)
The single ‘Hallelujah Day’ was released.
1973 (29th March)
The album ‘Skywriter’ was released. It reached number 44 in the US charts.
1973 (22nd August)
The single ‘Skywriter’ was released. It reached number 25 in the UK charts.
1973 (3rd August)
The single ‘Get It Together’ was released. It reached number 28 in the US charts.
1973 (12th September)
The album ‘G.I.T.: Get It Together’ was released. It reached number 100 in the US charts.
1973 (around)
All members of the group were becomming increasingly frustrated with Motown Records. They were denied any creative input even though it was obvious that the old formula was not working as sales continued to drop.
1973 (around)
Joe Jackson had become increasingly disillusioned with Motown and turned his children into a nightclub act. They began performing in Las Vegas.
1974 (19th February)
The single ‘Dancing Machine’ was released. It reached number 2 in the US charts.
1974 (5th September)
The album ‘Dancing Machine’ was released. It reached number 16 in the US charts.
1974 (1st October)
The single ‘Whatever You Got, I Want’ was released.
1974 (23rd December)
The single ‘I Am Love’ was released. It reached number 15 in the US charts.
1975 (15th May)
The album ‘Moving Violation’ was released. It reached number 36 in the US charts.
1975 (June)
The single ‘Forever Came Today’ was released. It reached number 60 in the US charts.
1975 (June)
It was announced that the Jackson Five had signed a contract with Epic Records which would come into effect in March 1976. Motown continued to own the name Jackson 5 so the group’s name was changed to The Jacksons. Jermaine Jackson, who had married Berry Gordy’s daughter, chose to remain with Motown and he was replaced in the group by his brother Randy Jackson.
1975 (October)
The single ‘All I Do Is Think of You’ was released. This was the last single recorded under the Motown label.
1976 (15th June)
The greatest hits album ‘Anthology’ was released. It reached number 84 in the US charts.
1976 (Summer)
The weekly TV series ‘The Jacksons’ began airing.
1976 (29th October)
The single ‘Enjoy Yourself’ was released. It reached number 6 in the US charts.
1976 (5th November)
The album ‘The Jacksons’ was released, it was the first under the Epic label. It reached number 53 in the UK and number 36 in the US charts.
1977 (6th January)
The single ‘Show You The Way To Go’ was released. It reached number 1 in the UK and number 28 in the US charts.
1977 (8th October)
The album ‘Goin’ Places’ was released. It reached number 45 in the UK and number 63 in the US charts.
1977 (21st October)
The single ‘Goin’ Places’ was released. It reached number 52 in the US charts.
1977 (20th December)
The single ‘Find Me a Girl’ was released.
1978 (October)
The single ‘Blame it on the Boogie’ was released. It reached number 8 in the UK and number 54 in the US charts.
1978 (17th December)
The album ‘Destiny’ was released. It reached number 33 in the UK and number 11 in the US charts.
1979 (16th January)
Motown Records released the album ‘Boogie’ was released featuring earlier hits and unreleased tracks.
1979 (22nd Janaury)
The Jacksons began their Destiny World Tour which included 129 shows.
1979 (11th February)
The single ‘Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)’ was released. It reached number 4 in the UK and number 7 in the US charts.
1980 (27th September)
The single ‘Lovely One’ was released. It reached number 12 in the US charts.
1980 (18th October)
The album ‘Triumph’ was released. It reached number 13 in the UK and number 10 in the US charts.
1980 (5th December)
The single ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was released. It was later renamed ‘This Place Hotel’. It reached number 22 in the US charts.
1981 (5th March)
The single ‘Can You Feel It’ was released. It reached number 6 in the UK and number 77 in the US charts.
1981 (15th June)
The single ‘Walk Right Now’ was released. It reached number 7 in the UK and number 73 in the US charts.
1981 (8th July)
The Jacksons began their Triumph Tour which included 44 shows in the United States and Canada. Michael included some tracks from his ‘Off the Wall’ album.
1981 (11th November)
The album ‘The Jacksons Live’ was released featuring live music from their Triumph tour.
1983 (16th May)
Michael and his brothers appeared in a television special ‘Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever’.
1983 (June)
Motown Records released the album ‘Greatest Hits’ by Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 in the United Kingdom. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1983 (November)
The Jackson brothers signed a promotional deal with PepsiCo worth around $5 million.
1984 (27th Janaury)
The Jackson brothers filmed a Pepsi advert. During the filming Michael’s hair was accidently set alight causing second degree burns. He was later awarded $1.5 million damages from Pepsi which was donated to charity.
1984 (18th June)
The single ‘State of Shock’ featuring Mick Jagger, was released. It reached number 14 in the UK and number 3 in the US charts.
1984 (2nd July)
The album ‘Victory’ was released. It reached number 3 in the UK and number 4 in the US charts.
1984 (6th July)
The Jacksons began their Victory World Tour which included 55 shows. The set comprised mostly of Michael Jackson’s hits from ‘Off the Wall’ and ‘Thriller’.
1984 (30th September)
The single ‘Torture’ was released. It reached number 26 in the UK and number 17 in the US charts.
1984 (December)
Michael Jackson announced he was leaving The Jacksons to concentrate on his solo career.
1984 (21st November)
The single ‘Body’ was released. It reached number 47 in the US charts.
1985 (December)
Marlon Jackson announced he was leaving The Jacksons.
1989 (during)
Marlon Jackson gave up music and made a career in real estate.
1989 (27th January)
The single ‘Nothin’ (That compares 2 U)’ was released. It reached number 33 in the UK and number 77 in the US charts.
1989 (30th May)
The album ‘2300 Jackson Street’ was releasedby the remaining four Jackson brothers – Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Randy.
1989 (14th July)
The single ‘2300 Jackson Street’ was released. It reached number 76 in the UK charts.
1991 (during)
Randy Jackson disbanded his group Randy & the Gypsys..
1992 (29th September)
Motown Records released the album ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’ featuring music from an upcoming ABC miniseries.
1992 (15th November)
The first part of ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’ aired on ABC. The five-hour miniseries, based on an autobiography written by Katherine Jackson, aired in two parts.
1992 (18th November)
The second part of ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’ aired on ABC.
1995 (20th June)
Motown Records released the compilation album ‘Soulsation’, a box set of hits of the Jackson Five.
1995 (15th August)
Motown Records released the greatest hits album ‘Jackson 5: The Ultimate collection’.
1999 (7th October)
Motown Records released the greatest hits album ’20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Jackson 5′.
2001 (7th September)
Motown Records released the greatest hits album ’20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Jackson 5′.
2004 (9th March)
The six Jackson brothers reunited for a special concert celebrating Michael’s 30 year solo career. The concert, held at Madison Square Garden, was filmed and aired in November of the same year.
2004 (5th July)
The greatest hits album ‘The Very Best of the Jacksons’ was released. It reached number 7 in the UK charts.
2008 (9th September)
Motown Records released ‘The Motown Years’ by Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 in celebration of Michael’s 50th birthday. It reached number 4 in the UK and number 31 in the US charts.
2009 (early)
The four remaining Jacksons began filming ‘The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty’ hoping to revive The Jacksons.
2009 (25th June)
Michael Jackson died following a cardiac arrest at his home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles.
2009 (7th July)
A memorial service for Michael Jackson was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park’s Hall of Liberty. It is estimated taht around 3 billion people watched the service worldwide.
2009 (24th August)
Following the reports of an autopsy carried out on Jackson, the coroner concluded that his death was caused by a concoction of drugs and a high level of propofol. Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray was charged with manslaughter.
2009 (10th November)
Motown Records released ‘I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters’ by the Jackson 5.
2010 (30th March)
Motown Records released ‘J is for Jackson 5’.
2010 (21st June)
Motown Records released ‘Live at the Forum’ containing a mixture of live hits.
2011 (late)
Michael Jackson’s personal doctor, Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in jail.
2012 (20th June)
Four members of The Jacksons, Jackie, Tito, Jermain and Marlon, began the Unity tour playing a total of 70 shows. It was a return to the group and the music industry for Marlon.
2012 (28th August)
The album ‘Come And Get It: The Rare Pearls’ was released featuring a compilation of unreleased songs.
2017 (24th June)
The Jacksons headlined the West Holts stage at Glastonbury.
Published Jan 7 2022 @ 3:35 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2022). The Jackson Five Musical History 1964 – present.